Thoughts On #WorldSuicidePreventionDay

Been a bit quiet today as everything is going to be a mass of what ‘The Manly Types; like to deride as a bunch of triggers, but I thought I should say something.

I’m not in a great state today, but I know there are things that DO help. Knowing what will cheer you up, no matter what that it is and how much other people might not approve, is good. If your thing is cartoons and ice cream in your pants, do that. Importantly, never, EVER listen to anyone who tells you how you ‘should’ feel. Don’t let the ‘You have these external circumstances going on, so internally you should be happy.’ have Your feelings are your own.

Don’t get your feelings confused with what you think. They aren’t always the same thing. ‘Look, I just…don’t care.’ is a perfectly valid response to anything, unpopular a notion as that might seem. Work out whatever it is that either fires you up to be productive or understand that not every day is going to be you firing on all cylinders.

Realise that you’re going to have surround yourself with people on your level. If the people in your social circle are too verbose or flamboyant for you, you’re going to be frustrated. Equally, if you can see what you’re saying is just lost on your companions, then you’re shooting too low. You need people. And possibly people who understand you don’t want to pay attention to them every waking moment of the day.

If I were going to give a reading list, it would simply be ‘No Logo’ as a guide to how much your insecurities or self loathing might possibly be the work of advertising gurus who’ve told you you’re too fat, or not muscular enough or too old. It’s just lies to make you want to buy stuff. The problem is if you keep being told the same thing over and over, you’ll start to believe it.

Also, ‘Prozac Nation’ by Elizabeth Wurtzel. It can help to find something that you can relate to and realise you’re not the first person to feel the way you do.

And almost any book or video with Noam Chomsky. He deconstructs modern life in a way that ….removes the programming of modern living in such a scientific way that you’ll soon be asking yourself the question that’ll probably plague me to my final days